Every now and then I want to post some random scans from my files. No rhyme or reason to the selection, just several quick examples of great Kirby artwork.

Another rarely seen Kirby cover from the 1970s: 3-D Man. Ironically there is no actual 3-D artwork in the story.

Here is an example of actual 3-D work by Kirby from Captain 3-D (Dec 1953), page 10.

A rare Kirby pin-up from Forever People # 10 (1972). Looking closely at the original artwork, it looks like originally Beautiful Dreamer was wearing a bikini, but someone along the line (probably an editor in the DC NYC offices) decided a one piece might be more PC.

Marvelously bizarre double-splash by Jack from Captain America # 209 pgs. 2 – 3 (May 1977), artwork by Kirby/Royer. Below is a scan of the original artwork. I remember seeing this as a 9-year-old kid back in the 1970s and just being totally befuddled by it. The image had to have been the weirdest thing by far I’d ever seen in a comic book. Quite frankly, I thought Jack must be crazy or maybe partaking of some consciousness expanding drugs. My brother bought this comic book, and I hated it, but twenty years later I think this is a masterpiece. It’s fairly simple storytelling. Jack starts at the left and shows us the damsel in distress. The voluptuous Donna Maria.
Then we have Captain America, protecting her. Notice the creepy vine-like had in front of his face.

But if you thought Arnim Zola was wacky, check out Doughboy, a gigantic blobular sidekick.

Just flat out wild stuff from Jack in the late 1970s. Even though I didn’t like it as a kid, it undoubtedly emblazoned itself upon my unconsciousness, and now I find a double splash like this spectacular.

Thanks to Kenn Thomas for sending in this article:

Comics in Public to Launch on Kirby’s Birthday
Yesterday, August 11, 2010, 2:41:25 PM – The Beat

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Daily Cross Hatch’s Brian Heater and Sarah Morean have launched a new day for comics pride via their Read Comics in Public program, which is planned for this August 28th, aka Jack Kirby’s birthday :

The concept is fairly simple: we’re asking that everyone take an hour or two out of their day on August 28th (also the birthday of Jack “King” Kirby, incidentally) to read a comic book in a public setting—a park bench, a beach, a bus, the front steps of your local library (we do ask, however, that you be mindful of local loitering laws). Let strangers see you reading a piece of sequential art.

Take to the streets. Be proud. If someone asks what you’re reading, say, “a comic book” (the phrase “graphic novel is also acceptable, but let’s face it, it sort of defeats the whole purpose). Heck, lend them a book, if you’ve got an extra—what better way to make a new friend and convert a new reader?

Art by Al Hartley